1 Insufferable Minister, Poor Chief Manager

"You will go to the academy and babysit a few high class people from other kingdoms."

'Umm what?' I wanted to ask but I held back. There was a good chance that my mind, which wasn't in good condition after not sleeping for five days, was playing games with me.

"I'm sorry Minister, can you repeat what you have said again? I feel like you said that I need to babysit a few brats?" I asked the burly man, whose bald head was shining like a mirror. It was brighter than my bleak future as the Chief Manager of the Ministry of Inspection.

"What? Did you think I was joking? You need to go to the academy in a day to protect a few brats– ahem! A few important figures from other kingdoms." The bald man repeated as he grinned at me.

Sadly, what I heard wasn't a hallucination but real.

'Fuck…! Don't send me there you old bastard! Let me have a vacation!' I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, however, that would be futile. I knew this shiny-headed old man would just take pleasure from my suffering.

"Hahaha!" The Minister chuckled. It seems I unknowingly gave away my true feelings with my eyes. "Didn't you want a vacation? Didn't you cry over that you didn't even go to the academy? Now isn't this perfect?"

'Like hell, it is! I wanted a real vacation not like this!'

I bowed my head and answered monotonously while emphasizing the words that would make the Minister mad. "Yes. Thank you for your generosity, the shining light of the empire. I hope the empire's future will be smooth and the evil plans of the traitors will be bare."

"..."

In an instant, a thick vein popped on the forehead of the Minister and his face turned red.

Swish! Crack!

An ink bottle flew to my face and I swiftly dodged it. The Minister was my superior even while I was a trainee in the military. So, I knew his weak point more than anyone… so was he. I could say that we were pretty close.

"Well, let me tell you about the people you need to protect. I am sure you will jump with joy…"

'No…NO!'

Shivers crept down to my spine after I saw the Minister's wide, ominous smile. I understood that my job at the academy wasn't going to be a peaceful vacation like this baldy said before. All I wanted was some peaceful times, was that too much to ask?

"Fourth prince of our great empire, second prince of Albus Kingdom, third princess of Dalinnor Kingdom, Saintess of Holy Empire, third prince of Sevuri Kingdom, and the heiress of a duke of Neladrik kingdom."

'Fucking hell! If someone goes kamikaze, a fucking world war will erupt!' I screamed internally. This wasn't going to be a vacation-like mission but a fucking torture session that will last for who knows how long.

"For what reason are all of them coming to the academy and why am I hearing this now?" I wanted to know why the other kingdoms were doing something idiotic like sending their prince or princess to a foreign empire's academy. Do they fucking not have a proper education place?

"It is all for peace."

"Bullshit!" I blurted out without thinking.

If a Prince or Princess of another kingdom died in the empire, a war would definitely break out. If they wanted peace, they wouldn't even have sent their import figures to a fucking foreign place that contained devil and evil god worshippers, and lastly rebels who were planning a coup a few years ago.

"There there, Chief Manager Caelum. We have great trust in your ability to keep these people safe. Actually, you don't even need to be their full-time bodyguard either. I was just joking." The baldy smirked before adding. "Just be their advisor, mentor, or whatever you want, and keep their relationships at least neutral to each other."

'I see, this doesn't seem too troublesome… wait no! Like hell, it isn't! This bastard! I'm an idiot to consider us close. How can being the advisor of princes and princesses that got the education to rule an entire kingdom be easy!?'

"How will I even be all of their advisors? Won't the other kingdoms be suspicious when I get close to their princes and princesses?" I asked directly while hoping that they would consider it one more time.

I really didn't want to be in the presence of people who might cry to their daddy kings if I spoke harshly to them.

However, I didn't get the answer I hoped.

"You will see it when you arrive at the academy, Chief Manager Caelum. Now go and say goodbye to the other managers." The minister smiled mysteriously.

'Just tell me you, baldy!' I got the urge to read the mind of the Minister and get the answer to my question, however, I didn't. After years of using my mind-reading ability, I learned my lesson about when to read minds and when not to. So, unless my intuition warned me or I considered it necessary, I didn't read minds.

And I knew it wasn't necessary to read the minister's mind. Although the minister was an insufferable bastard who deserved beating after overworking me every single day for the past three years without giving a vacation, he was still a good guy… I think. He wouldn't send me to my death or an impossible mission without saying to me.

I nodded my head towards the Minister and turned my back to leave.

"Wait a moment Caelum, I forgot to mention something." The Minister called me when I was about to open the door.

'Did your dementia act again?'

I turned back to the Minister and looked at his eyes.

"Did you just think something rude?"

'Oops, he noticed it.'

"Not at all, Minister."

"Is that so?"

"Yes." I nodded with confidence. The only way to deceive this old man was to act confident like you didn't have anything to hide.

"Ahem!" The minister coughed into his hand. "Anyway, your sister is also admitted to the academy this year. It would be better for you if you make her stay away from the princes and princesses."

"Fuck…" I forgot that Seraphine also became 18 this year, the age to be admitted to the academy.

"Thank you for your concern, Minister." I thanked him with a genuine smile.

I once again learned that this old man still had soft spots. At least he was worried about my sister whom I even forgot about.

'Yes, the Minister is a good man even if he is old, bald, and an insufferable bastard.' I quietly wiped the single tear that was about to fall from my right eye and turned to leave again.

"It would be bad if something happened to your sister and you would be unable to do your job because of that after all."

'I take my words back! Give me the tear I shed for you back!'